Waste Reduction in Extraction of Macroalgal Polysaccharides

Project Description

Some harvested seaweeds are not suitable for sale to the food market, either because of contamination, biofouling, or aesthetic flaws. One way to derive value from such harvests could be to use the seaweed as a source of extracted compounds, such as polysaccharides, which have valuable properties for nutritional, chemical, and material applications. Extraction methods for such polysaccharides are somewhat complex and generate large volumes of waste streams resulting from the fractionation and purification steps. Project personnel seek to identify and demonstrate methods to reduce these waste flows. The objectives of this project are to develop expertise in polymer extraction from seaweed and identification and validation of improvements to extraction methods.

Researchers determined the current state of the art in polymer extractions, and are developing expertise in implementing these methods and also identifying opportunities for reducing waste production.

Results and Accomplishments

The research team completed the development of the gel chromatography method for separating fucoidan and laminarin. Improvements were made in terms of the equipment used for pigment extractions. Complete fractionation of the polysaccharides can now be completed. The assessment of growing locations on polysaccharide content can be determined. The availability of algal polysaccharides is useful for interdisciplinary studies on applications of these compounds and may encourage the expansion of the polysaccharide industry in Maine.

Summary of Data Being Collected

Data	Type	Quantity	Location
Chemical Fractionation	Mass fractions of carbohydrate polymers (polysaccharides) and their substituent sugars. Observations on effectiveness of extractions.	Several samples (ideally three or more) of seaweeds will be fractionated and characterized	Samples taken from farm sites or from commercially harvested samples, primarily from southern and mid coast Maine
Volumes of waste streams generated by extrication methods	Tabulated mass measurements	Ongoing generation of data	Currently at UMaine, eventually if commercialized at a Maine coastal community